Cooling tank for refrigerators



Sept. 4, 1928.

C. J. BERTHEL COOLING TANK FOR REFRIGERATORS Filed Aug. 24 1927 Hllllhm... 21 """WHWIIM a INVENTOR.

Ani.

Patented Sept. 4, 1928.

UNITED STATS 1,583,518 ,aislar-OFFICE.

CHARLES J. BERTHEL, or Winsen, NORTH (insonnia, Assienon To HAOKNEY BROTHERS, mo., or wILsON, NORTH CAROLINA.V

COOLING TANK FOR REFRIGERATORS;

Application filed August 24, 1927. Serial No. 215,173.

This invention relates to a cooling tank for refrigerators, and has for its' obJect to provide, in a marmer as hereinafter set forth,v

a tank of such ciass constructed with spaced refrigerant receiving compartments whereby the cooling surface of the tank is materially increased without increasing consumption with respect to the refrigerant.

A further obj ect of the invention is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a tank of the class referred to including spaced refrigerant compartn'ients constructed and arranged whereby the refrigerant will be in constant contact with the walls of the compartments to provide a thoroughly efficient refrigerating action without waste with rcspect to the refrigerant;

Further objects of the invention are to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a cooling tank for refrigerators which is sim- `ple in its construction and arrangement,

strong, durable, compact, thorough efficient in its use, conveniently installed with respect to the refrigerator body, and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

rith the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an. embodiment of the invention, but it -is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which fall within the scope of the claims hereunto appended. Y

In, the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding Vparts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a refrigerator, with the cover thereof removed, showing the adaptation therewith of a cooling tank in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2 2 Figure 1 with the cover of the refrigerator in position.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 Figure 1 with the cover of the refrigeratorin'position.

A cooling tank, in accordance with this invention, is constructed of sheet steel or galvanized metal, and which may be coated with enamel or porcelain and it consists of an open top body portion 1 provided at its upper end with a right angularly disposed flange 2 which is coextensive with said body portion. Each side of the body portion 1 for the major portion of its length is formed with an inwardly extending right angularly disposed partv merging into an insetvertically dis posed part arrangedl atthe lower portion of the sides. The sides of the body portion 1 are indicated at 311, the right angularly disposed inwardlyv extending part of each side designated at 5 andthe lower inset part of 1 each side is designated (3. The bottom of the tank is indicated at 7 and the major portion thereof is of less width than the width of the bodyportion 1 and the remaining portion of said bottom 7 is of the same width as the width of said body portion. `The end walls of the body portion l are indicated at 8, 9

and conform in contour to the shape of the side wails 3, 4.

The bottom 7 ofthe body portion is provided with lengthwise extending openings 10, 11, 12, 13, lei andl; rlie openings 10, 12, 13 and 15 extend from one end of the bottomv 7 r id terminate adjacent the other end thercofl The openings 11 and 14. are c'oex.n tensive with the length of the bottom and ex.- tend from one end wall to the other end wall ofthe body portion 1.l Securedto the bottom 7 andV coextensive with the openings 10 to 15 .inclusive are inverted channel shaped memthe other end wallv of the body portion andY are closed at their ends by said end walls. The members 1G, 18, 19 and 2O extend from one ond wall of the bodyportionaiid terminate a point removed .from the other end wall thereof. i The outer ends of the meinb-:rs 16, 1S, .19 and 21 are closed by the end wall S andthe inner cndsof saidl members. are Y closed by vertically rdisposed closure strips @fiend said vstrips are spaced from the rnd wall 9 Vand maintained in spaoed relation bv loi-ace pieces 30. v

- The compartments 22'Ato 28 inclusive are;

arranged in parallelism and the compartment 22 communicates at one end with the compartment 23 as indicated at 31. he coinpartment A3 is separated from the compartment 24 bv the inverted channel shaped member 17. he compartment 24 communicates at one end with the compartment 25 as at 32 and the compartment 24 communicates with the compartment 26 at one end as at 33. The compartment 26 is separated from the compartinent 27 by the inverted channel shaped v member 2() and said compartment 27 commu nicates with the compartment 28 as at 34.

Form-ed integral with the members 17 and 20, centrally of the top thereof, and extending from the end wall'8, to the end wall 9, are upstanding partition members 35, 36. The members35, 36in connection with the sides and ends of the upper part of the body portion 1 provide a series of upper compartments 37, 38 and 39. -The compartment 37, at its bottom opens into the compartments 22, 23. The compartment 38 at its bottom opens into the compartments 24, 25 and 26 and the compartment 39 at its bottom opens into the compartments 27 and 28.

Each of the inverted channel shaped mem d bers provide a lengthwise extending aii chamber, opening at its bottom, and provided witli spaced baffles extending from the lower end of its inverted channel shaped member to a point removed from the top thereof. The Vair chambers aie indicated at 4() and the baflles at 41. The baffles 41 are disposed transversely with respect to the air chambers 4() and provide braces between said members and further provide addition al cooling surfaces.

The partition members 35, 36 separate the compartments 37, 38 and 39 from each other and also provide for the arranging of the lower compartment in sets and with'the sets separated from each other. This arrangement provides for employing' at one time an upper compartment and a set of lower compartments, or two or more upper compartments and two sets of lower compartments, or the several upper compartments and the several sets of lower compartments. As il- 'lustratecL the refrigerant employed is in the form of ice and salt, the ice in small particles, as indicated at 42 and which engages throughout the walls of the several coin- Y partments,

The reference character 43 indicates a discharge pipe provided with spaced outlet nipples for drainage. of the several compartments. The nipples are indicated at 44, and 46. The nipple 44 is common to the coinpart-ments 22,23 and 37. The nipple 45 is common to the compartments 24, 25, 26 and 38. The nipple 46 is common to the compartments 27, 28 and 39. The nipple 44 opens into the compartment 23. The nipple 45 opens into the compartment 26'and the nipple 46 opens. into the compartment 28.

The length of the body portion 1 is sliglitly less than the body 47 of the' refrigerator Vcated at 47 and the width of the iip'per part of the body portion 1 is also slightly less than the width of the body of the refrigerator whereby the upper part of the body portion 1 will be f efspaced from the inner face ot the body 4r. The lower part of the body portion 1 is spaced from the inner face of the body 47, due to the fact that said lower part is inset.V

By constructing` the body portion 1 in the manner as referred to an air space is arranged therebetween and the body portion 47 of the refrigerator and said space lis indi- The vlower part of said space is of gicater width than the upper part thereof and under such conditions the cooling sur; face of the tank is increased. The iange 2 is seated in a mortise 48 and retained in position by a frame 49 and to the latter is secured the top 50 of the refrigerator. Filling openings 51, 52 and 53 are arranged in the top 50 and which are closed by removable lids oi' covers54. The filling openings 51,52 anc 53 are provided respectively for the compartments 37, 3 and 39 and by this arrangement only one of the lids or covers 54 need to be removed when a compartment 37 or 38 or 39 is to be filled with the refrigerant. The opening 52 is of greater area than the openings 51 or The covers 54 are of a size to snugly lit the walls of the filling openings.

The compartments 22 to 28 inclusive, are what may be termed rectangular troughs for the reception of the refrigerant kand their arrangement will materially increase the coole ing surface of the tank. The troughs are supplied with the refrigerant from the compartments 37, 38 and 39. As the ice melts it will feed by gravity from the compartments 37, 38 and 39 to the troughs. The construction and arrangement of the tank is such as to provide for the circulation of cool air freely over the baffles or fins. The baffles oi hns not only increase the cooling surface of the tank, but also act as means for stiflening pr bracing the inverted channel shaped inemiers.

It is thought the many advantages of a cooling tank, in accordance with this inven-V tion, can be readily understood, and although the preferred en'ibodiment of the invention is as illustrated and described, yet it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction can be had which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

That I claim is Y 1. A cooling tank forrefrigerators comprising a one-piece body rportion having spaced means arranged therein to provide the upper pait thereof with a plurality of independent, upper refrigerant receiving compartments and its lower part with Ysets of spaced refrigerant receiving troughs, said llU sets being spacedv from each other by air chambers and with each set opening into'the bottom of an Vvupper compartment, said troughs forming air chambers therebetween, said chambers opening at the bottoms lthereof, said body portion having the lower portion of each side thereof inset with respect to the upper portion thereof whereby the combined width of said trough will be less thanthe combined Width of said compartment, said troughs being rectangular in cross seetion, said body portion being open at its top and provided at its upper end with an outwardly disposed right angularly extending flange coextensive therewith.

2. A cooling tank for refrigerators comprising a body portion having arranged therein spaced means to provide the upper part thereof with a plurality of independent,

of, and a drainage pipe common to said open-` ings.

A cooling tank for refrigerators comprising a body portion having arranged therein spaced means to provide the upper part thereof with a plurality of independent, upper refrigerant receiving compartments and its lower part with sets of spaced refrigerant receiving troughs, said sets being spaced from each other by air chambers and with each set opening at the top thereof into the bottom of an upper compartment, said troughs forming air chambers therebetween of less length than the length of the compartments, said chambers opening solely at the bottoms thereof, certain of said troughs having drainage openings at the bottoms thereof, a drainage pipe common to said openings, and transversely extending, spaced bafiies within each of said chambers and spacing said troughs.

4. A cooling tank for refrigerators comprising a body portion having arranged therein spaced means to .provide the upper part thereof with a plurality of independent, upper refrigerant receiving compartments and its lower partwith sets of spaced refrigerant receiving troughs, said sets being spaced from each other by air chambers and with each set opening at the top thereof into the bottom ofl an upper compartment, said troughs forming air chambers therebetween of less length than the length of the compartments, said chambers opening solely at the bottoms thereof, certain of said troughs having drainage openings at the bottoms thereof, a drainage pipe common to said openings, and the troughs of each set communicating with each other at one end thereof.

In testimony whereof, I al'lix my signature hereto.

CHARLES J. BERTHEL. 

